As we conclude a month of sharing exciting updates about our farm expansion through email and social media, we want to take a moment to reflect on our progress so far and the promising future that lies ahead.
Earlier this month, Caleb shared about our vision for sustainability at RUHU. As we’ve seen in the past, the challenge of sustainability is complex, especially for organizations like ours that serve orphaned and vulnerable children. Yet, despite the challenges, we are committed to creating a sustainable future that goes beyond immediate relief and builds long-term solutions.
The RUHU farm is our beacon of hope, demonstrating that sustainable growth is possible despite adversity. With the purchase of 10 acres of fertile land, we’ve set the stage to grow diverse crops, raise animals, and employ RUHU graduates. It’s an ambitious but achievable goal, supported by the right people, like Nicholas, our farm manager, whose creativity and passion drive this project forward.
A Look Back at 2024: Projects Completed
We are deeply grateful and truly amazed as we reflect on the journey and the incredible support that has allowed us to make significant progress this year. We were able to complete many key projects that have laid the foundation for RUHU’s farm expansion:
– Hired Nicholas as our project manager
– Purchased 10 acres of land
– Built a nursery bed propagation unit in which 16,000 sweet pepper seeds were planted
– Constructed a greenhouse for product production
– Dug and constructed a well and irrigation system
– Cultivated and weeded land in the coffee and cassava plantations that were already on site
– Planted, cultivated, weeded, and harvested the first maize crop
– Planted sweet potatoes and a variety of vegetables in the fields
– Planted fruit trees: mango, pawpaw, tangerine, and avocado
– Built a piggery unit using the innovative IMO (indigenous micro-organisms) system
– Planted fodder to be used as feed for future livestock
These projects mark a huge step forward for RUHU, and we’re incredibly proud of the progress.
What’s Next: The Future
Looking ahead, we have exciting plans to continue growing and enhancing the RUHU farm. In the coming months, we’ll focus on the following projects:
– Purchasing 2 additional sows and moving our current sows and piglets to the new IMO piggery unit
– Fencing the land to protect the crops and animals
– Purchasing a farm truck for transportation needs
– Acquiring electricity to support farm operations
– Launching an Agro-forestry project with Albizia and Eucalyptus trees
– Constructing a poultry unit and purchasing 500 broiler chicks and 500 kroiler chicks
– Building pens for 4 cows and 2 calves, including the purchase of 1 calf
We’re confident that these new projects will bring us closer to our goal of sustainability. We’re not just growing crops and raising livestock; we’re growing a future of hope and opportunity for the children and families RUHU serves. Ongoing support is crucial as we continue to expand and sustain the farm, ensuring that we can provide lasting solutions and build a future of sustainability and self-sufficiency. Your support makes this vision possible!
